Blood of the Dragon
by Culinary Cowboy
Summary: With the new Dragon Warrior now chosen a new threat to the Valley of Peace has come to surface. A warmonger lizard clan seeks the power stowed upon the chosen one and will stop at nothing to get it.
1. Prologue

**Dudes, the fight scenes in Kung Fu Panda were as good if not better than Forbidden Kingdom, and as I watched this little story started to form in my noodle.**

**Summary: With the new Dragon Warrior now chosen a new threat to the Valley of Peace has come to surface. A warmonger lizard clan seeks the power stowed upon the chosen one and will stop at nothing to get it.**

**Disclaimer: I Don't own noffin of dreamworks**

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The soft melody of Shifu's flute gently blew into the wind as he sat under the famed peach tree outside of the Jade Palace. His song had become much more joyous in tune since the arrival of the dragon warrior, but something…something in the wind compelled almost all of senses to an alert state.

"Something is amiss." He whispered to himself as he set his instrument on the grass at his side and closed his eyes.

Slowly, he coaxed his body to relax and leave its physical shell which literally sent his chi to a higher plane. His other self searched the valley for what troubled his senses, but found none. His next task would be to search all of China, for if something outside the valley could trouble him then it surely was message to heed. West then north and then east, nothing not even a single peach blossom out of place, when he reached the south, he beheld a sight most grave indeed.

Though the snow cape mountainsides of Nepal, deep within the dark caverns of what seemed to hell itself laid the Dragon Warlord upon his throne. Eyes shut and crusted over with rock from hundreds of years of slumber the crocodile Komodo that once fancied himself as a legendry reptile of the zodiac now seemed to breathe plooms of smoke from his nostrils. The golden quake that resulted from Tai Lung defeat at the hands of the great chosen one had finally reached the catacoms of the slumbering lizard and now shook the very rock off his scales as is roared back to…

"NOW!" Po screamed as his heavy body fell from the branch upon Shifu's position.

With his meditation now disturbed the small master opened his eyes and leapt into the air at his newest student, using his head to propel into the pandas stomach which caused Po to hurdle into money. Shifu then took care of viper with a short chase though the branches that caused her to tangle herself with an unsuspecting mantis. It wasn't until he reached the highest point of the tree and noticed Tigress and Crane with Po hot on their heels coming at him from all sides that he decided he had...

"Enough!" He shouted as he let his body fall back to the ground, and watched as Po took out the other two of the original five with his bulk.

"This is not how I trained you all." The old master spoke sternly to all his students as he turned his back and looked upon the valley once more.

"Master…what troubles you?" Tigress questioned after pushing the giant panda off her tail.

With a sigh of great burden Shifu simply answered, "Drakon Long."

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I wanted to make it sound like my granddad was telling me a story so there's the prologue. Please R&R.


	2. A Story Told

Deep within the cave nestled in the most ancient reaches of the Himalayas something stirred the rocks and ice around the entire region. The throne room made of stone began to warm from the still waking lizard's breath despite the hundred years of cold and snow. His cold blood now boiled as his heavy body began to move under the years of sediment.

"Seems the time for me to rejoin the world has come." The warlord's gruff voice echoed through the caverns of his royal chamber.

The towering creature lifted himself of his seat and listened as his bones cracked form years of sitting in the same position. He twisted his neck in a circle and slowly made his way down the throne's steps to awaken the rest of his reptile army.

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"Drakon Long!" Po exclaimed as he began to prance around the peach tree in fear.

Shifu rolled his eyes at his behavior and took to paces forward, stuck his leg out and tripped the giant panda whose fall shook the foundation of the mountain.

"Pardon master, but who is the Long you speak of?" It was Viper voice that interrupted Po's whimpering.

"Who's Drakon Long? You mean you all don't know?" Po shot back to his feet and got right in the snake's face.

"Are you serious? He's just the meanest reptile the Valley of Peace has ever known, right master?" Po looked back to Shifu whose grave face had hardly changed.

With a sigh He merely motioned for his students to follow him as he led them back to the palace. The walk was quieter than expected, no talk about past events just the soft sounds of their feet on the grass and then stone. It wasn't until they reached the inner sanctum and stood before the reflection pool below where the once sacred dragon scroll rested.

"Long's family and origins were a mystery to all, with the exception of one." To this he paused and lifted his eyes to the memoriam banner of Oogway that hung on the far wall.

"You mean to tell me that Oogway knew this chump hundreds of years ago?" Po interrupted to the displeasure of the rest of the five.

"SHHHHHHHHHHH!" The sound intended to silence him rang though his ears as the panda realized that it came from Mantis, who was perched on his shoulder.

"Dude, you don't have to be IN my ear for me to hear you!!" Shifu merely rolled his eyes at the exchange and continued his story.

"Yes, for you see Chinese Tortoises live an exceptionally long time. In fact, I hadn't met the grand master until he was already well past a hundred and fifty." A slight smirk formed on his face as he watched his students eyes turn into to dish plates.

"A little more than a century ago, Drakon Long came to live beside Oogway as both an adopted brother a rival. Their friendship banded them together through thick and thin, they shared everything. The only think that separated them was Long's drive to be the best as quickly as possible while Oogway was as patient as they come. It wasn't until Oogway discovered the art of Kung Fu that the two began to separate. Many say Drakon became jealous of Oogway's talents and rising popularity, and began forming his own style called Dilong Boxing. Well, time went on and Drakon was urged to start his own school by those who wished him to teach them his style. It was his decision to move outside of the valley so as not to create tension between him and Oogway or towards the palace he had built. However, animosity between Drakon student and Oogway himself, but of OUR master never acted upon the ridicule in the streets or the rumors of plots against him. Until, that is, Drakon heard of most of his students planning to challenge Oogway to the power that he held over the valley."

"Um, excuse me Shifu, but what power would that be?" Mantis asked from his place on the dragon warrior's shoulder.

"Well, you see the belief of the time was that Oogway was reached his enlightenment though a vision, were the ancient dragon of old merged his soul with his. Of course anyone could see it was natural kindness and wisdom that kept people close to him, but it is said that this 'power' his passed on through the next dragon warrior." A large swallowing sound could be heard from Po as Shifu continued.

"You see though, Drakon still considered the wise Tortoise as a friend and put down anyone who tried to or even spoke of fighting Oogway. However, years passed and anyone who fight's another man's battles for that long can often begin to despise them. As did Drakon, his students' rumors began to sink in and his mind and body began to warp from years of constant battle; and the time soon came when long stepped forward to challenge Oogway himself. Their battle was long and fierce one that shook the valley itself. There are some that say Drakon submitted, seeing the damage he had caused to both his friend and his home while most others say that he was defeated in combat. Either way the battle caused a backlash upon the reptilian citizens of valley, a back lash that had recently began to lift among the people. It caused Drakon to retreat to the southern mountains with a promise to return when the next dragon warrior was chosen."

"Um…yeah, I got a question or something. Is there some way that this all ends with me not fighting some pumped up lizard? No offense Viper…Viper?" Po looked around to see that Master Viper was nowhere around.

"I believe she left some time towards the end of the story. Probably off to her room and I suggest that you all do the same there, will be plenty of work for you all in the morning."


	3. The March Begins

One would think that such a cavern could never see the warmth of the sun, but the heat of dragon's breath was something else entirely. Such was the case of Drakon's prison, where he now stood at the blocked mouth of the cave his army of reptilian students at his back. His eyes narrowed on the bolder he placed there so many years ago and thought back to why he bothered with it in the first place. It was sort of a way to block out the world from him and a way to keep his students away from the world.

"Master…" The rough voice behind him shook Long of such righteous thoughts and caused the darkness in him to take over once again.

"What is it you need, Ju-Long?" Drakon turned to his prized student and advisor, the long snouted gharial stood behind him as he turned his head to face him.

"Your students become anxious…they want out." It was an obvious truth, but the monitor lizard's eyes still slowly scanned the small crowd gathered in the corridor.

A low hum of voices was spread out among them, only few spoke loud enough to hear what was being said to their leader but the majority remained silent. Ah yes, those few that didn't converse with their brothers and sisters, those were the ones to fear. For Drakon knew personally how each and every chameleon, snake, crocodile, skink and lizard he'd trained; those were ones whose actions spoke louder than their words. Every one of them knew why their master had awakened them…

"We have hid ourselves away for long enough my students!" The few whispers and shifting feet became still and silent as their master addressed them.

Drakon took a stance of power, rooted all in his clawed feet that weighted his body heavily to the ground. His arms moved slowly, every motion had a purpose and the old master could feel his latent chi begin to well inside him once more.

"Let all of China remember why they once feared you, all of you…why they all feared the DRAKON DOJO!" His roar brought forth the flames that had dwelled in the great lizard's belly for those many years as he brought both fists to the seal of his prison.

The explosion of fire and rage blew the gigantic boulder to that of tiny pebbles, which shook the entire mountain range in its wake. One could hear the cheers and roars of the students as they breathed the air of freedom for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

"STUDENTS! FORM RANKS!" Ju-long shouted as the pupils rushed past the two into the chill of the mountain air.

Within a blink of an eye the warriors had lined up before their master in the snow, bowing to show their respect. Even Ju-long took his place in front of his master's forces and took a knee waiting to hear what Drakon had in store for them next.

In the cold one could easily see the steam escape the hot nostrils of Drakon, and some could even say a small smile formed on the kamodo's lips. With one gust of smoke from his nostrils he raised a strong fist and shouted his decree.

"WE MARCH!!!" The great invasion was under way.

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"Goodnight master Tigress, master Monkey, master Crane." Po gave his respects to each of the kung fu experts as they gave the goodnight bows.

The large panda hadn't smiled since that afternoon, with the news of their impending doom and all. Their situation even dampened his light spirits. He watched as his friends entered their rooms for their nightly routines, Monkey's meditation, Crane's calligraphy, Mantis's medical studies and Tigress's well…Tigress's brooding whatever she did. So there he stood in hall way that led to his room, the only obstacle in his way was the creaky floor in front of Viper's door.

"Great…" Po sighed; though he could make his body light as a feather he still would get the occasional creaks and moans from the wood floor of the dormitory.

His toes graced across the delicate floor boards, all his concentration going into not disturbing the darkness that was Viper's sleeping quarters. So far he had made it half way past the doorway before he heard something faint. It wasn't anything from the floor however; no this sounded more like crying. Po turned his ear to the source of the sound and found that it came from behind Viper's door.

Now there was no delicateness as he stood with his full weight on the floor boards. There was only slight hesitation as he rapped his knuckles on the snake's doorframe. Almost instantly the crying stopped as Po slid the door open slightly so that he peek inside.

"Viper, are you alright?" Po whispered, his limited view included Viper facing the opposite wall, her dancing ribbon wrapped in the clutches of the end of her tail.

"Please Po…leave me alone." She sniffled from where she sat on the floor, the tears that fell from her beautiful eyes stained her cherished ribbon.

"Aw come on Vipes…that's not like you, what's up?" He slid the door open without her permission and entered the room.

A small, sorrow filled chuckle came from the graceful snake as she heard her playful nickname. She even grinned slightly as she felt his presence enter the room, but was followed up with a shake of her head. Po looked around the room at the painted pictures on the wall of an old snake with great white fangs and at the other beside it of a much more delicate looking reptile with eyes as beautiful as Viper's.

"It's okay Viper…what's wrong?" Po folded and sat on his legs as he came to viper's side.

She sniffed lightly and wiped her eyes with her tail before finally facing her friend.

"Well, its Drakon…." She paused as she thought about what she was about to say.

'Well, DUH.' Po thought but decided to keep it to himself for once.

"My people always had hard times adjusting with all the other citizens of the valley…of China. I was lucky being the daughter of Great Master Viper, people respected my family and I always had friends. It wasn't so easy of the other snakes, of crocs or any other reptiles to fit in. And it didn't help that most of the bandits around our village were lizards. Really soiled our reputation you know." She looked up at her friend with a wider grin this time before averting her eyes back to the floor.

"And it all started with Drakon…" Po finished for her with a heavy sigh.

He really couldn't relate to what Viper was going through, but it didn't stop him from caring. With a slight thud, the dragon warrior let his feet slide out from under him so he could sit next to his friend. Po laid a heavy hand on the top of her smooth head, her body flinching slightly from the sudden contact.

"Hey…I don't see scales or fur. I just see a beautiful person, a beautiful person who could kick my butt anytime she wanted." This brought a giggle from Viper as she looked over to Po with a genuine smile.

"Thank you Po, Oogway chose the dragon warrior wisely." Her tongue flittered from between her lips before starching her body out to give the chubby panda a kiss on the cheek.

"Aw geez, I was…I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. You know that." Po's face grew red with heat from her kiss and he clumsily stood to hide his embarrassment.

The girlish giggle continued as Viper saw her friends reaction, she in all honesty loved seeing him fumble over himself. She thought it was actually kind of cute.

"You should get some sleep master Po, we really don't know what Shifu has in store for us tomorrow morning…might be painful." She was met with a groan and sigh from the panda as he turned to leave the small room.

"Yeah you're probably right, I'll see you in the morning Vipes." He shuffled to the door and slid it halfway closed before Viper called to him.

"Oh, and Po…thanks again." She hissed flashing her fangless smile.

"It's what I do…good night Viper."

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From a far the mass of reptilian warriors really didn't seem like a march of soldiers than it did a pilgrimage of wondering souls trying to return home. At least that's what it looked like to the guard of mountain side Lee Da Kung Fu Academy as the group of students began to make their way over the rocky hillside.


End file.
